1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers, and more particularly, to a container having separate storage chambers capable of keeping different ingredients separate before use.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, when preparing formulas for daily use or consuming a beverage that requires mixing up formulas with additives, liquid solution, gas, or other ingredients, it is often necessary to separately tear open the packages containing additives or formulas that need to be mixed, such as Antabuse, fresh vitamin C powder, carbon dioxide., etc, and then add the formulas to the liquid solution, such as water, beauty lotion, oxygen, or other ingredients that need to be mixed before the mixture can be readily used or consumed. This procedure is rather troublesome and time-consuming.
In order to address the above-mentioned drawbacks, the TW Utility Publication No. 231632 discloses a container having separate storage chambers, wherein a lid member can seal the opening of a drinking bottle. Referring to FIG. 1, the container comprises a main body 1 containing a first substance 12 and a lid member 2, engaged with the main body 1. The lid member 2 comprises a sealing ring 22, a storage vial 3 extending through the sealing ring 22, a protective cap 5 enclosing the storage vial 3 to protect the storage vial 3 from being pressed, and a disposable sealing member 52 covering the lid member 2. The storage vial 3 having a storage chamber S for storage of a second substance 6 includes a vial body 31, a push bar (not labeled) sealing a top end thereof, and an opened end opposite to the push bar. The opened end of the storage vial 3 is sealed up by a sealing film 4 that is attached to the sealing ring 22. In use, the disposable sealing member 52 is first torn off, then the push bar is depressed to cut open the sealing film such that the second substance 6 falls into the first substance 12 and is mixed with the first substance 12. However, the lid member 2 is usually formed without a guide mechanism or a positioning mechanism for the storage vial 3, which easily result in the storage vial 3 overly rotating relative to the sealing ring 22, such that portions of the sealing film 4 are prone to be cut off and fall into the first substance 12, resulting in contamination of the first substance 12. Though the lid member 2 of the prior art improves on the drawbacks of the conventional mixing process and reduces packaging, it cannot ensure that the first substance 12 is free of contamination since the sealing film may be cut away and fall into the container.
In addition, the disposable sealing member 52 formed on the top of the protective cap 5 of the lid member 2 is not sealed airtight, which can only be achieved by means of precisely tight contact between the storage vial 3 and the sealing ring 2, which would necessitate increased manufacturing precision and thus increase the manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the tight contact between the storage vial 3 and the sealing ring 2 would likely make it difficult to depress the push bar for releasing the second substance 6.
To solve the above problems, an improved beverage container having separate storage chambers for receiving ingredients has been proposed. The beverage container comprises at least a main body (not labeled) and a lid member 9. Referring to FIG. 2, the lid member 9 comprises a sealing structure 111, two pieces of sealing film 113, and a push vial 117. The sealing structure 111, and the sealing films 113 jointly form a storage chamber Sxe2x80x2 for receiving ingredients 110 therein. In the case of a beverage container, the ingredients 110 are released from the storage chamber Sxe2x80x2 and are mixed up with the liquid solution contained in the beverage container by depressing the push vial 117 and cutting open both the sealing films 113. This necessitates a considerable amount of chamber for configuration of the push vial 117 and the storage chamber Sxe2x80x2 for receiving ingredients 110. As a result, the lid member 9 is not suitable for containers that are commonly used nowadays. In addition, such a lid member 9 is manufactured by a complicated molding process, resulting in unduly high manufacturing costs. Employing two pieces of sealing film 113 to store the ingredients 110 is also troublesome and inconvenient to implement. Thus, the problem of unduly high manufacturing and assembly costs is exacerbated.
FIG. 3 depicts another conventional container that is capable of separately storing a first substance 7 such as a liquid solution, and a second substance 8 such as ingredients. The first substance 7 can be mixed up with the second substance 8 by depressing and pulling a cap 9. An outlet 10a is defined in an opening 9a of the cap 9 for accessing the mixed first and second substances 7 and 8. In assembly of the container, the cap 9 is first attached to an upper body 11a. First and second engagement bodies 11a, 11b, and a cutting member 10 are assembled to the upper body 11a in order. The assembled upper body 11a is then secured to the lower body 11b to constitute the container, which is assembled by a number of individual parts. However, such a container cannot easily provide an airtight sealing effect due to its inherent complexity. Also, the process of assembling the container is unduly complicated and time-consuming. This design is also not suitable for application to existing containers. Furthermore, in view of the complicated assembly process, once the contents stored in the container are used up, it is troublesome to refill the container for repeated use.
In view of the above, an objective of the present invention is to provide a container having separate storage chambers, which has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a container having separate storage chambers which are reusable, and in which it is convenient for the user to access the mixed contents contained in the container.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a container having separate storage chambers which is applicable to existing containers.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a container having separate storage chambers which can provide a satisfactory airtight seal to preserve the contained substances from deterioration.
In order to achieve the above objectives, a container having separate storage chambers in accordance with the present invention comprises a main body containing a first substance, a lid member, an airtight member, a holder assembly, and an opener.
The main body has a storage chamber for accommodating a first substance, and an opening for accessing the storage chamber. The lid member is closely engaged with the main body. The lid member includes a cap, a circular peripheral ring adjacent to the cap, and a leakproof member disposed on an interior of the cap between the cap and the circular peripheral ring. The airtight member is for the tight encapsulation of a second substance to be mixed with the first substance.
The holder assembly is disposed within the opening of the main body. The holder assembly includes an outer part and an inner part. The outer part has an outer axial hole and a shoulder adapted for allowing the outer part to rest on the main body while providing tight contact between the shoulder and the leakproof member, so as to avoid spillage or leakage of the first substance. The inner part has an inner axial hole. The inner part is coaxially engaged in the outer axial hole of the outer part. Edges of the airtight enclosure are securely sandwiched between the inner and outer parts. The inner and outer parts respectively comprise positioning portions for ensuring a fixed interrelationship thereof and providing a reinforcement to hold the airtight enclosure.
The opener is coaxially disposed in the inner part. The opener includes a pressing portion around a top thereof, an active cutting portion around a bottom thereof for cutting open the airtight member, an inactive dull portion adjacent to the active cutting portion for preventing the airtight member from being completely cut off, and a through hole defined therein. The through hole is in communication with the inner axial hole, the opening, and the storage chamber. When the pressing portion is depressed to a point where the pressing portion is in contact with a top of the inner part, the airtight member is cut open by the cutting portion, thereby releasing the encapsulation of the second substance and allowing mixture of the first and second substances, with the opened-up airtight member remaining attached to the holder.